Restaurants in Spring

Tipico Cafe's menu spills over with Latin American flair. Following Honduran tradition, servers slide complimentary pan de coco—or coconut bread—onto tables before every meal. Appetizers, such as the towering pyramid of crabmeat, avocado, and mango found in the Tipico tropical stack, precede meaty entrees accompanied by rice and beans, plantains, and Salvadorian cheese and cream. Freshly prepared dishes team up with the café's music and decor to create an authentic Latin cultural experience. To complement meals, a BYOB policy lets diners park a favorite bottle of wine or jetpack fueled by beer right at their table.

As the centerpiece of Kublai Khan, the mongolian grill reaches temperatures of 650 degrees and can cook more than 30 meals at the same time. The restaurant's methods revive an ancient tradition from centuries ago, when, after a long day of hunting, Genghis Khan and his warriors would cook meat, vegetables, and whatever spices were available atop their upturned shields—which had the logos of several sponsors on them. In similar fashion, diners at Kublai Khan gather their self-selected bowls of ingredients before handing them over to the chefs, who slice, dice, and sear them into stir-fry creations. The fiery production earned Kublai Khan the Talk of the Town customer-satisfaction award in 2012 for the second year running.

Taking its name from the Mayan word for hummingbird, Zunum strives to fill mealtime with harmony and joy. Silhouettes of trees cling to the walls of the airy dining room that overlooks Zunum World, a play area for kids. The menu runs the gamut, with pastas, salads, paninis, and burgers that pair with glasses of wine.

With parents hailing from Sicily and Naples, Anthony Russo enjoyed an Italian upbringing. By age 12, he spent much of his time in the kitchen, learning to prepare Old World recipes with his family and family friends. And from the flurry of Italian phrases and conversation, one quote of his father's stuck with him most: "If you can't make it fresh, don't serve it!" Several decades later, Anthony has hand-tossed his own Italian restaurant franchise and, true to his father's words, employs fresh ingredients in the same family recipes that were passed down to him. Amid exposed brick and walls the warm hue of marinara, skilled chefs craft New York–style brick-oven pizzas with toppings such as spinach, sundried tomatoes, and capers. Servers stand ready to answer questions about the restaurant’s wine lists, letting guests know which wines pair best with the pizzotto sandwich or whether pinot noir can really turn dogs invisible.

At Lenny's Sub Shop, team members bake fresh loaves of bread every morning and slice deli meat to-order for each sandwich. Lenny's Sub Shop began just outside of Memphis in 1998, and it has grown to reach diners in more than 15 southern and midwestern states. Their signature 7.5-inch sub sandwiches cradle a half-pound of meat and cheese, and their 15-inch subs hold up to a full pound. Hot pepper relish blended from diced cherry peppers is available to add zing to deluxe clubs, roast beef sandwiches, and veggie subs. In addition, the shop's kids' meals pair well-portioned sandwiches with engaging stories of Li'l Lenny and the Global Adventurers rather than age-inappropriate tax forms.

Beneath modern hanging lights in the shape of elongated fez hats, two-top and four-top tables load up with casual Indian, Pakistani, and Mediterranean meals formed of only zabiha halal ingredients. Dips such as baba ghanouj and hummus take the edge off hunger as diners await plates of gyro and shawarma-inspired pizzas, as well as flame-kissed kebabs featuring chicken, beef, and repurposed pencils.